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E39 (1997 - 2003) The BMW 5-Series (E39 chassis) was introduced in the United States as a 1997 model year car and lasted until the 2004 when the E60 chassis was released. The United States saw several variations including the 525i, 528i, 530i and 540i. -- View the E39 Wiki

Marik, I actually have brand new unit that I got from EAC for my M5. I could not code it back when I got it and mine started working again. So this one has been sitting on my desk for the last 6 months. Let me know if you want it. I'll provide pictures.

Agree 1000% with EAC and Edjack. Your Ebay ad is ATE and they are the worst and I know this from ESXTENSIVE personal experience. Go new. If you must rer0-build, go MM or BBa only (my opinion, but based upon much personal experience). I would save if I had to and go new. You can drive with your module out of car for a long time with no adverse effect. Don't chance driving in winter weather without stability control or traction control however. If you use this Ebay seller, i can almost guarantee you pain, regret, and likely higher cost that if you just went new. Bosch modules were not meant to be re-built by ANYONE. MM and BBA have just done better that Bosch had ever hoped. You have a 10+ year-old module. They are heat sensitive. Go NEW.

BTW, you and I have same PROBLEM. You posted on 14th and made your move anyway in about 2 days, so why bother asking? Some don't read every day. Patience Grasshopper!
If you could not afford new, I would pick BBA for $99 second. ATE has terrible customer service, has about 30% success rate, and will fight you forever if you need a refund. I got a member here who has since left I am afraid a refund ONE YEAR after he first started with ATE and he was a college student who could not afford. ONE YEAR and 5 exchanges and he still did not have a working unit from ATE. nor did he get a dime back. I believe his name was "Fizaks"-great guy. I was lucky I got him his $$$ back as I have befriended the owner. Please wait for more replys as I have had to learn to do. Especially the ABS module. It is not a game breaker.

Any idea how often BBA runs that ebay $99 special, or is it completely random?
Also, when the car is cold sometimes the ABS and traction lights are off and odometer is working... until the car warms up. Also, the green "Break" light sometimes on, sometimes off. Is it some kind of culprit? Before sending the unit out would it be wise to check sensors, first?

First questions first...BBA AFAIK is RANDOM with $99 specials. I did well by BBA. I just have changed my opinion about rebuilds vs. new. I was in the re-build camp as there is no re-coding, as long as you use a good vendor, and many have had good luck, but as many have had waste of time and money chasing re-build road. I have come around to new or forget it. I would get a new module regardless just due to age and if errors remain, then look at sensors using the test procedure rather than what scannher says. A new module will give you a peace of mind you can't get otherwise. So, I would do new module and if that did not take care of WSS errors, yaw sensor error, or whatever then just deal with those issues next.

Modules go bad due to heat. Their placement is terrible! That may explain why you start cold with no errors until heat from manifold gets to module. This is even more reason to suspect module itself. Get new module coded with an autologic if possible.

Look, for $99 you might as well try the BBA route, but I would no9t view the module afterward as repaired, never should be an issue again, done, forget it, etc. It would always still be somewhat suspect. They do not replace parts. They focus on solder connections. Biggest wires first. After repairing a wire or two, another even smaller wire can go bad. Good luck.

First questions first...BBA AFAIK is RANDOM with $99 specials. I did well by BBA. I just have changed my opinion about rebuilds vs. new. I was in the re-build camp as there is no re-coding, as long as you use a good vendor, and many have had good luck, but as many have had waste of time and money chasing re-build road. I have come around to new or forget it. I would get a new module regardless just due to age and if errors remain, then look at sensors using the test procedure rather than what scanner says. A new module will give you a peace of mind you can't get otherwise. So, I would do new module and if that did not take care of WSS errors, yaw sensor error, or whatever then just deal with those issues next.

Modules go bad due to heat. Their placement is terrible! That may explain why you start cold with no errors until heat from manifold gets to module. This is even more reason to suspect module itself. Get new module coded with an autologic if possible.

Look, for $99 you might as well try the BBA route, but I would not view the module afterward as repaired, never should be an issue again, done, forget it, etc. It would always still be somewhat suspect. They do not replace parts. They focus on solder connections. Biggest wires first. After repairing a wire or two, another even smaller wire can go bad. Good luck.

FWIW, I have experience with both BBA and Module Masters. I would go with BBA. MM wasn't able to fully repair my module. It worked OK in the winter, but in the summer I was still getting random ABS lights. I probably could have sent it back to them or gotten an exchange, but I just dealt with it. BBA fixed my module the first time and with no recurring issues. BBA is cheaper as well, so it's a no brainer in my book. Not saying MM is bad by any means, just that you can't really go wrong with BBA.

Had BBA rebuild my '03 530's ABS module about a month or so ago. Didn't want a new one b/c of the re-programming required, so I sent mine in, they repaired it, sent it back out. Put it back in. works GREAT. They were fast and give a lifetime warranty on their work. HIGHLY recommend BBA.

Had BBA rebuild my '03 530's ABS module about a month or so ago. Didn't want a new one b/c of the re-programming required, so I sent mine in, they repaired it, sent it back out. Put it back in. works GREAT. They were fast and give a lifetime warranty on their work. HIGHLY recommend BBA.

+1 my 525/02 module was rebuilt by BBA last week, quick turn-around and works fine now.

If you read my posts, you KNOW I agree with who you sent it to, but you still have a 10+ year old module in there. Next time may not be able to rebuild. I had great experience with BBA, but needed new module ultimately. G/L as none of the re-builder replace any parts. Just redo bad solder connections. Could last another 10 years or a month!

If you read my posts, you KNOW I agree with who you sent it to, but you still have a 10+ year old module in there. Next time may not be able to rebuild. I had great experience with BBA, but needed new module ultimately. G/L as none of the re-builder replace any parts. Just redo bad solder connections. Could last another 10 years or a month!

Very true, yet, for $100 dollars it's a good option to explore before spending $500 for a new unit.

If there are any options NOT listed in this thread, please add them to the thread:
- What are all known options when your ABS control module is bad (1)

__________________

Please read the suggested threads, where the best always add value to those threads, either by pictures or by descriptions, so the next person with the same problem stands on your shoulders.
See also: E39 Bestlinks & How to easily find what you need

Very true, yet, for $100 dollars it's a good option to explore before spending $500 for a new unit.

That is one issue I have no argument for! It is always why I ask the car owner straight-up, but not to be prying....how their finances are as there are people who have very good incomes (count me NOT as in that group) and would prefer to not have (possible) repeat occurrences. Then there are the "rest of us" who need to always count the pennies. It really is not a matter of $500 vs. $100 being insignificant to some people as much as it can be how far to their indy, their inner fear of what all those lights mean, etc. Many modules seem to also lend themselves to a more straightforward re-build whereas take my module from few years ago. Sent to ATE (mistake one). it was returned *repaired*. It did not work. They wanted it back a seciond time. Said it tested perfect as received, but owner pwersonally would add reduntant wiring, do extra *for sure* re-built techniques an it would be great and last forever, Got back, same errors. I knew speed sensoers were good as I had tested them out of car one at a time and wiring to them and connections. Sent module to BBa and in two days they called to say my module FAILED 2 of 3 tests and they went to great detail to explain their tests. The opened it and said it was such a F__king mess on the inside of extra wires, good old boy repairs etc. that they were sorry, but would not be able to take time necessary to reverse engineer and start over. They did NOT try to sell me a rebuilt module or make a dime. Returned my module at their cost (making not a dime on me and actually spending freight back plus time on bench to say there was no way that module would work in any car!. ATE wanted it back a third time. Why?? I sent it to them and said to learn how to repair a module properly, but I was going to buy new from EAC. Bought new, had coded by an autologic and car has been perfect since. ATE refunded 100%, but offered no explanation. I got to know owner of ATE well enough that I had forum members coming to me with similar horror stories-some had sent back and forth to ATE FIVE times and were just at a stalemate. Could not get money back and had useless module. I got no less than half a dozen people full refunds and their old modules back. I got some postage money as well. ATE still maintains these modules were good even in the face of a new module curing my problem immediately.

So, my position has changed a little on rebuilds. Obviousely can't blame quality rebuilders on ATE and their CSM. They claim to rebuild for all the large chains like Autozone, Pep Boys, and any others who ask for core. They claim they do for Acura, Toyota, Audi, M-B, Et al and BMW is just one car they do out of 100. I say their test bench is flawed, their C/S people are poor, they won't move unless boss "oks". That is BS!! There are many out there who I got refund for after a YEAR. (Fizaks on forum). They gave-up and bought new and moved on figuring they would never see their money again. If *Don* at ATE reads my recent posts, I'm sure the day of getting him to refund is history. But, he says he does hundreds a day and do I really think one refunds makes any difference to their bottom line? They sure act like it! *Fizaks* was in college when he sent his module to ATE and was still in school year later when I got him about $200. Tell me a college student who does not need the money! Shame on ATE. Watch-out for names that now have ATE in them, but are variations on EBAY. They have fiortunately changed their name sklightly, but still has a form of ATE or SIMILAR in the name. They are in Tennessee, IIRC. Stay away. BBa best deal, Module masters more money, but huge following of success, and then there are a bunch of new players emerging that I just can't keep up with that also report great success. Use your own discretion. You do NOT re-code your re-built module. A new module requires a re-code yo your vin as your vin is ONLY way for re-coder to know exactly what options your particular car has and it matters. Have sterr angle sensor error cleared (it just tells where steering wheel is currently pointed 500-0-500 lock to lock. some get 350-0-650 lock to lock and won't accept recode. Autologic will pick this up and fix. Any pump errors, steer angle errors, etc. are almost alwys module. Most can not recode these without very good software. Mark at EAC was able to clear my steer angle sensor error, but just could not get new module to code successfully. Autologic got it. I think if it were today, Mark wiould have got it 100%. He was still learning his downloaded INPA testing and all other software he had. If you have Carsoft or that caliber scanner-forget it. They can clear an error, but usually will make no difference. must be quality software. Rant off. Hope some learn from my experiences. Have done a dozen modules since for others-some re-built-some new. A couple needed steer angle sensors, but no pumps ever even though they say bad. Inability to communicate with module is another almost 100% for sure module problem. Some are rebuildable, most are not. Do not count on a diagnosed bad speed sensor.` You can switch sensors left to right (not front to back) to see if error moves, use multimeter, many other tests. Many scanners just pick first speed angle sensor they see regardless as bad. SEE BEE ON THIS ONE. SHE HAS PROOF FROM SPEED SENSOR MFGR. I HAVE NEVER SEEN BUT SAYS IT ALL. Lesson learned....ABS error is a roller coaster ride. get ready to hang on. I am impatient which is another reason I just buy the damn module and code it! If error is still there, you replaced a device that not *if* it will get you, but WHEN. They are old and getting older, delicate, and will last on average 7 years or so. Pay me now or pay me later. Just don't go to BMW with this error ever.

I actually decided to go with a new unit, but then called local BMW and the coding will be $250, which brings the price close to $750

How you guys are getting $500?

I don't know what you are doing...you ask for advice, I spend a lot of time answering and then you do what you want anyway. You figure out why taking it to BMW is costing you $250. They did not sell you the module so screw you! No one takes to BMW for coding. You take it to a qualified Indy. Once I got it done by my Indy for free and the next time I was told to forget about it as I am a good customer, but I left a $50 on the desk. You are in such a hurry, bend over and grab your ankles.

Please read the suggested threads, where the best always add value to those threads, either by pictures or by descriptions, so the next person with the same problem stands on your shoulders.
See also: E39 Bestlinks & How to easily find what you need

Last edited by bluebee; 12-05-2012 at 08:54 PM.
Reason: Added detail to better help the OP.

You know Blue that just about the time that I think we (well, you really!) are possibly scaring some people away because the information base you put together is so complete, I see you just pull-out the exact information you put together based upon a link to a link and then I realize how good at this you really are! You are just plain, flat out, DAMN GOOD at all the things I am not. Are you looking for work? Honest to God you have a gift Blue! Could it be borderline OCD? Could it just be your love of order and using a computer to the fullest? I dunno, but I just took a long-standing respect for you and your efforts up a bunch of notches that I believe puts you in an elite place no one else has ever reached. Now, let your head return to its normal size before testing the width of your hallways. Best my good friend! Bill
P.S. I do question that all these scan/programming tools will program a module, but worth trying. Some modules seem "balky" even with a GT-1 ergo my comments about the Autologic being the tool I have seen program a module a GT-1 actually would not despite a GT-1 being successful many, many times in other cases. An autologic is only tool I have seen program 100% of the modules it was hooked-up too. Maybe it was operator error or firmware being out-of-date, but I must assume if someone can afford the GT-1 (out-of-production now, I believe) I must assume they know how to use it properly. Only Autologic and Bee are 100%!